Detection of a gene, vatE, encoding an acetyltransferase inactivating streptogramin

Abstract

A gene encoding an acetyltransferase inactivating streptogramin A was isolated from an Enterococcus faecium strain and sequenced. The gene, designated vatE, encodes a 23.775 kDa protein exhibiting 48.5 to 59.9% amino acid identity with four other enzymes with the same activity, Vat, VatB, VatC and SatA.

1. A purified nucleic acid molecule comprising the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
       2. A purified nucleic acid molecule encoding an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
       3. A purified nucleic acid molecule encoding a an acetyltransferase inactivating streptogramin A (vatE) protein that hybridizes to either strand of a denatured, double-stranded DNA comprising the nucleic acid sequence of any one of  claim 1  or  2  under conditions of high stringency. 
     
     
       4. A recombinant vector that directs the expression of a nucleic acid molecule of  claim 3 . 
     
     
       5. A host cell transfected or transduced with the vector of  claim 4 . 
     
     
       6. A method for the production of SEQ ID NO:1 comprising culturing a host cell of  claim 5  under conditions promoting expression, and recovering the polypeptide from the culture medium. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the host cell is selected from the group consisting of bacterial cells, yeast cells, plant cells, and animal cells. 
     
     
       8. The plasmid deposited at CNCM under the Accession Number I-2247.